Andrew M.
Anderson was born on April 21, 1841 in the town of Stratford,
Delaware County, OH. (1)

His
carpenter and builder father, Alexander Anderson, was born in or
about 1797 (2) in (West) Virginia, where his parents, Matthew
and Isabella (Hughes) Anderson were married in about 1794. (3)
His father, Matthew, was from Scotland. (4) On May 6, 1829,
Alexander married Catherine Himrod, born on November 14, 1803 in the
borough of Milton, Northumberland County, PA. (5) She was of
Scotch-Irish descent. (6) Five children were reported born
to Alexander and Catherine: William (1832), Catherine (1835), John
Alexander (1839), Andrew Matthew (1841), and James Gillis (1843). (7)
The family first appeared in the town of Delaware, OH in the 1830
U.S. federal census. Alexander and Catherine (Himrod) Anderson died
in Delaware, he on March 20, 1860 (8) and she on June 23,
1884, (9) and were buried there in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

“Andrew M.
Anderson spent the greater part of his youth in the city of Delaware
and is indebted to its school system for the educational privileges
which he enjoyed, and which fitted him for the practical duties of
life. On laying aside his textbooks to learn the more difficult
lessons of the school of experience, the task assigned to him was
that of salesman in one of the dry-goods store of Delaware [Hinton
Tallman’s?], where he served acceptably until the inception of the
Civil war.” (10)

In April
1861, men of Ohio responded quickly to President Abraham Lincoln’s
call for 75,000 volunteers to help crush the southern rebellion, and
several new regiments were enrolled for a term of three months’
service, which was considered sufficient to end the war. (11)

On April
21, 1861 Andrew M. Anderson, enlisted as a Private (12) in
Delaware County’s Company C, 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Regiment (4th O.V.I.), (13) which was organized on
April 25th at Camp Jackson in Columbus, OH. (14)
On May 4th, Private Anderson was appointed Full Sergeant.
(15)

The
regiment was then moved on May 2, to the newly constructed Camp
Dennison (about 12 miles northeast of downtown Cincinnati, OH),
where it served three months on garrison duty. (16) On June 3rd,
Alexander was mustered out, and on the 5th, enlisted as a Sergeant
in Company C, of the reorganized three-year 4th O.V.I. (17)

After only
a few days of training and drilling, they were moved to Grafton,
(W)VA (June 20-23) and saw active service in western Virginia
throughout 1861. They then participated in the Battle of
Winchester, VA (March 23, 1862) and Battle of Port Republic, VA
(June 9). They moved to Front Royal, VA (June 16), by rail to
Alexandria, VA (June 29), and were briefly stationed at Fort Monroe
before covering General John Pope’s retreat from the Second Battle
of Bull Run (VA) on September 1st. Their brigade (4th
O.V.I., 8th O.V.I., 7th WV Infantry, and 14th
IN Infantry) attacked Confederate positions at the Sunken Road at
Antietam, MD (September 17) and suffered serious losses in a
prolonged firefight, earning the nickname “Gibraltar Brigade”
because of their firmness in battle. (18) They then marched
to Harper’s Ferry, (W)VA, arriving on September 29 (19) and
staying there until October 30, (20) when they marched toward
Falmouth, VA. Six weeks later, the 4th O.V.I. was mauled
in the disastrous and bloody Battle of Fredericksburg, VA (December
11-15). They next participated in the “Mud March” (January 20-24,
1863), (21) which was Major General Ambrose Burnside’s
abortive attempt to command the Army of the Potomac in a winter
offensive in Virginia, after which he was replaced by President
Lincoln. (22) They recuperated at Falmouth, VA until April
27th. While there, 2nd Lieutenant Anderson
was promoted to Full 1st Lieutenant on March 24th.
(23) Things did not improve for the 4th O.V.I.
They were in the bloody Union defeat in the Chancellorsville, VA
Campaign (April 30-May 6) and General Grant’s Overland Campaign
(May-June 1864), including the inconclusive Battle of Spotsylvania
Court House, VA (May 8-21), (24) during which Lieutenant
Anderson was shot through the right thigh on May 12th. (25)
On July 2-3, the 4th Ohio was involved in the bloody
Battle of Gettysburg, PA and then briefly pursued Confederate
General Edward E. Lee into Virginia before being ordered to board
ships for transport to New York City to help put down the New York
Draft Riots (August 15-September 16). Returning to Virginia, they
were in the Bristoe Campaign (October 13-November 7) and Mine Run
Campaign (November 27-December 2), but saw little combat. They
participated in the long Overland Campaign in Virginia (May-June,
1864), including the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7) and the
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (May 8-21). They next took part
in the futile Battle of Cold Harbor, VA (May 31-June 12), including
an ill-advised charge against Confederate entrenchments on the
afternoon of June 3. (26) The three year members of the 4th
Ohio, including Lieutenant Anderson, were mustered out at
Washington, DC on June 20th (27) and discharged at
Camp Jackson, Columbus, OH on June 21st. (28)

When
Alexander had regained his health, he was commissioned as a 1st
Lieutenant (29) for one year in the Field and Staff of the
189th Ohio Infantry Regiment on March 5, 1865, serving as
Regimental Quartermaster. (30) The regiment was organized at
Camp Chase, Columbus, OH on March 5th, and left for
Huntsville, AL on the 7th. The companies were assigned
to duty along the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, guarding bridges
and building stockades through June. The regiment was then
concentrated on June 20th and assigned to post duty at
Huntsville until September 25th, when they were moved to
Nashville, TN, where they were mustered out of service on September
28th. (31)

While at
Huntsville, Andrew must have received a furlough to return to
Delaware, OH, for on August 15, 1865 there, he was married to
Frances (“Fanny”) Mary Tallman (also went by Mary Frances or Fanny
M.), (32) born in July 1839 in Canal Winchester, Fairfield
County, OH. (33) Her merchant father, Henton H. Tallman, was
born on June 30, 1810 in the community of Royalton, Fairfield
County, OH. (34) On May 4, 1834 in the county, he married
Amanda M. Thompson, (35) born in 1817 in Kentucky. (36)
Eleven children were reported born to them: Phoebe Jane (1835),
Nancy Elizabeth (1836), Nelson Gilruthie (1838) Frances Mary (1839),
Winfield S. (1839), William Henry Harrison (1840), Emily Adeline
(1845), George H. (1845), Oliver C. (1858), Olney Chase (1858), and
Loretta (1872). (37) [How many were twins was not stated.]
Henton and Amanda (Thompson) died in the county, he on February 14,
1891 (38) and she on July 17, 1893, (39) and were
buried in Delaware’s Oak Grove Cemetery.

Andrew’s
brother, John A. Anderson, was a Private in Company C, 86th
O.V.I. from May 27, 1862 until mustered out at Camp Chase on
September 25, 1862. (40) He then was commissioned as an
officer in the Field and Staff of the 187th Ohio Infantry
and served as Regimental Quartermaster until mustered out on August
26, 1865. (41) When the George B. Torrence Post, Number 60
of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was organized on April
21, 1881 in Delaware City, J.A. Anderson (as his name was listed)
was mustered in as a member on May 24, 1881, the same day on which
Andrew was mustered in. (42)

Frances’
brother, William Henry Harrison Tallman, enlisted on October 1, 1861
as a Private in the 66th O.V.I., was assigned to Delaware
County’s Company E, promoted to Full Sergeant, reduced to Full
Private, and mustered out on July 15, 1865 near Louisville, KY. (43)
He was mustered into G.A.R. Post 60 on May 27, 1884. (44)

“When the
war was over Mr. Anderson returned to Ohio, locating in Fremont,
where for one year he engaged in merchandising. He then accepted a
position as traveling salesman and in that capacity was connected
with different wholesale houses for twenty years. … In 1888 he
accepted the position of adjutant of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors’
Home, in Sandusky, which he has now [in 1898] filled for nine
years.” (45) “Captain” Anderson (46) served as
Adjutant under General Manning Force and after his death on May 8,
1899, was promoted to Commandant. (47)

Three
children were reported born to Andrew and Frances Tallman: Minnie
T. (1866), Harry Eugene (1870), and Carl Francis (1881). (48)

On May 17,
1879, Andrew M. Anderson applied for a U.S. government pension as an
“invalid” Union veteran of the Civil War. (49)

“Mr.
Anderson is a member of Sandusky Lodge, No. 50, F. & A.M. [Masons].
And since 1866 has been connected with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. He joined that society in 1866 and now belongs to Crogham
Lodge, No. 77, of Sandusky. He holds a membership in the order of
the Knights of Honor [a fraternal order and secret society] and is a
comrade of [Col.] John [T.] Toland Post, [No. 695] G.A.R., an
organization formed among the members of the Home. He is also a
member of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery, of
Ohio. Only men who were commissioned officers in the war of the
Rebellion are eligible to membership in this order.” (50)

Andrew
Anderson died on April 18, 1901 at Sandusky, OH (51) and was
buried in Delaware’s Oak Grove Cemetery. (52) On May 10,
Mary F. Anderson applied for a government pension as the widow
of a Union veteran. (53)

Frances
Mary (Tallman) Anderson died in Columbus, OH on January 8, 1921 (54)
and was buried with Andrew in the Oak Grove Cemetery. (55)

15
“Andrew M. Anderson.” Company C, 4th O.V.I. (3 months),
Official Roster of
the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the
War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866,
Vol.
I, The Werner Company., Akron, OH, 1893,
page 65

16
Footnote 11

17
“Andrew M. Anderson.” Company C, 4th O.V.I. (3 years),
Official Roster of
the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the
War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866,
Vol.
I, Wilstach, Baldwin & Co., Cincinnati, OH,
1886, page 96

18
Footnote 11

19
Kepler, William. History of the Three Months’ and Three Years’
Service,
from April 16, 1861 to June 22d, 1864, of the
Fourth Regiment Ohio
Volunteer Infantry in the War for the Union,
Leader
Printing Company,
Cleveland, OH, 1886, page 83

30
“Andrew M. Anderson.” Field and Staff, 189th O.V.I.,
Official Roster of the
Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the
War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866,
Vol. X,
The Ohio Valley Company, Cincinnati, OH,
1889, page 85